Wii U Features

  • Reaction Nintendo Direct - Nintendo Joins the Modern Age

    Bringing the hype

    Yesterday, on the same day that rival Sony launched PlayStation Vita in Europe and North America, Nintendo hosted three online broadcasts designed to reveal and publicise upcoming services and titles. It was the second time Nintendo Direct had taken place, though the timing and execution of this second run showed that the company...

  • Talking Point Achievements, Trophies and Wii U

    Achievement unlocked?

    Back in 2005, Microsoft kick-started the HD console era with Xbox 360, at the time a technical marvel with online capabilities that were one of the jewels in its creamy white, far-too-easily overheating crown. However, while online play, reams of downloadable content (DLC) and a single, unified community were indeed admirable...

  • Talking Point Wii U and the Future of the Online Pass

    'Project $10' and what it could mean

    With the number of gamers indulging in online play on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 at an all-time high, it’s disheartening sometimes to observe how far Nintendo has been lagging behind, as far as online functionality goes. For those lucky enough to own more than one console, the Wii isn’t exactly the go-to...

  • Talking Point NFC and the Latest Wii U Wizardry

    Near Field Communication: cooler than it sounds

    As you may have noticed, we've seen a flurry of news stories coming out of Nintendo HQ in the past few days. We started with bad news, that Nintendo expects to make a loss in the current financial year, though the news that Wii U will launch in time for Christmas 2012 helped ease the pain. Of course,...

  • Feature Nintendo in 2011 - Part Two

    Disaster and redemption

    Following on from Nintendo in 2011 — Part One, it's time to look at the latter half of the year. The gaming world quickly moves on, as the 3DS enjoys positive sales and the Wii U hype begins to build. It’s easy to forget that the tail-end of 2011 was particularly dramatic and eventful for Nintendo, leaving us with plenty...

  • Round Table Looking Ahead to Nintendo in 2012

    Should be a good 'un

    It's a new year, with a recovering 3DS and a fresh home console on the way from Nintendo: these are certainly interesting times. We decided to have a chat about the prospects for Nintendo in 2012, including our thoughts on the company's prospects, as well as our hopes, dreams and fears. Joining features editor Thomas Whitehead...

  • Feature Nintendo in 2011 - Part One

    An important year begins

    It’s now 2012, which promises to be an eventful year for Nintendo. We’ll be giving our thoughts soon on what to expect in the coming year, but it's now time to look back at a dramatic 2011. There were plenty of major headlines and game releases, and we’ll pinpoint some of the key moments that defined the year. We'll...

  • Feature What About Pikmin 3?

    The future of Captain Olimar's intergalactic journeys

    Last week marked ten years since the original Pikmin released in Japan. In the decade since we've had just a single sequel, but Olimar's adventures are far from over. The story of an alien who crash lands on a mysterious planet and must recruit tiny plants to work for him, like many of Shigeru...

  • Feature Resident Evil's Nintendo History

    Undead on the big N, past, present and future

    The claustrophobic darkness. The creeping undead. The hideous monsters. The Resident Evil series has brought such thrills and chills to our TVs since 1996, and it’s taken quite a unique path when it comes to Nintendo consoles. With the month of All Hallows’ Eve upon us, we decided to take a look at...

  • Interview Tanukii Studios - Go! Go! Kokopolo and Beyond

    We sit down with the sole member of the young DSiWare dev

    Here at Nintendo Life, two things we love are creative independent developers and unique game designs. One great example of the latter is the recently released Go! Go! Kokopolo, a quirky, challenging downloadable title that hit the DSi Shop a little while ago and scored an 8/10 in our Go! Go!...

  • Talking Point What If Nintendo Became a Third Party?

    And would it prove a wise move to embrace the smartphone?

    It's no secret that the 3DS sold far below expectations, even after Nintendo wowed us at E3 and promised to clean up its online act. Many are going as far as to suggest that the Ambassador programme and slashed pricing is as good as a death knell, while investors argue that Ninty should do...

  • Talking Point The Future of Metroid

    Where next, Samus?

    It’s a big anniversary for Metroid, joining Mario and Zelda in the 25 year club. It’s interesting to note that there hasn’t been much fanfare from Nintendo, with the upcoming 3DS ‘Ambassador’ release of GBA classic Metroid Fusion being the only sign of Samus this year. It seems that as a franchise, Metroid is very much...

  • Feature The Future of Nintendo Gaming - 2D or Not 2D?

    That is the question

    It’s been a busy year for Nintendo as it seeks to move onto a new generation of consoles. The 3DS is already here and, despite a sluggish start, has some big releases ahead. Then of course there is the Wii U, boasting a unique touch screen controller and the promise of much greater processing power than the Wii. Both devices...

  • Talking Point Wii U - Revolution or Evolution?

    Is the Wii U innovative enough, or just a big DS?

    When looked at logically, perhaps there is a valid point to be made about the Wii U. Admittedly, launch is a while away, and further details on the console and its capabilities will no doubt flow in the coming months, but the focus of this article is simple: will Wii U ‘disrupt’ the industry and...